"Counter Strike" lite Tradewar game

[robject]

"Let's just say we'd like to avoid any Imperial entanglements".

So many years ago I started sketching out a game that in retrospect looks like a high-level tradewar "lite wargame".

It used a subsector map with main routes (for example, in the Marches you'd use the xboat routes) as the board, and counters to represent ground installations and starship convoys.

The idea is that routes have an intrinsic value, and your assets are placed in order to capitalize on that.

The unspoken, unwritten rule is that tradewar is the way to muscle out someone else, but you don't want to get the Navy involved.

 

[lostscout5]

Trade wars can be fun, But sometimes players get carried away. I had one group plant a bomb in the engine room of a rivals ship. Right next to the ship's power plant. It went off when it was still docked in Jewel's highport. They were took out half the docking area. After that their merchant campaign turned into a fugitive from the Empire campaign. I enjoyed that part! :file_23:

 

[ovka]

Sounds intriguing. I seem to remember a game called Robber Barons that had a similar concept, though using railroads.

Cheers,

Baron Ovka

 

[Highorbit_drifter]

"Let's just say we'd like to avoid any Imperial entanglements".

So many years ago I started sketching out a game that in retrospect looks like a high-level tradewar "lite wargame".

It used a subsector map with main routes (for example, in the Marches you'd use the xboat routes) as the board, and counters to represent ground installations and starship convoys.

The idea is that routes have an intrinsic value, and your assets are placed in order to capitalize on that.

The unspoken, unwritten rule is that tradewar is the way to muscle out someone else, but you don't want to get the Navy involved.

Not to nitpick but wouldn't you use trade routes instead of X-boat routes?

X-boat routes are pretty arbitrary. In-game I would still classify them as important communications networks, but they usually don't follow logical trade routes.

G:T Far Trader has the rules for such routes, and Anthony Jackson created maps for the Classic/Lorenverse Charted Space.

I'd love to see a trade war game developed. Abstract and relatively simple, since that's what I am, but it sounds like fun.

 

[77topaz]

Not to nitpick but wouldn't you use trade routes instead of X-boat routes?

X-boat routes are pretty arbitrary. In-game I would still classify them as important communications networks, but they usually don't follow logical trade routes.

G:T Far Trader has the rules for such routes, and Anthony Jackson created maps for the Classic/Lorenverse Charted Space.

I'd love to see a trade war game developed. Abstract and relatively simple, since that's what I am, but it sounds like fun.

There are GT: Far Trader-style trade maps for almost every sector in Charted Space on the Traveller Wiki.

 

[robject]

Trade wars can be fun, But sometimes players get carried away.

Sometimes wargames can be used to blow off steam. I'd love to play a game where the players keep pushing tradewar until the Imperial Navy gets involved and shoots everyone down -- as long as it's spectacular. Maybe just not very often.

Not to nitpick but wouldn't you use trade routes instead of X-boat routes?

Use what you got. The Marches has Xboat routes, so it's ready-to-use. And the routes do indeed look arbitrary, but it's not unreasonable to assume that interstellar markets are not pure.

As an aside, it seems that arbitrary maps can dovetail nicely with relatively deterministic games.

 

[Otto Harkaman]

Made me think of SPI's Star Trader (1982)

Ares Magazine #12. Star Trader is a game of interstellar economics set in the 24th Century. Each of up to 6 players is master of a fleet of star faring trade vessels, competing with opponents to increase his own profits at the expense of the other players. (This game can be used in conjunction with the RPG Universe, also by SPI)

http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3534/star-trader

 

[Highorbit_drifter]

There are GT: Far Trader-style trade maps for almost every sector in Charted Space on the Traveller Wiki.

I did a quick search and didn't see them. Maybe I used the wrong terms? Anyway, they are easily available from different sources so they're out there.

 

[mike wightman]

x-boat routes are trade routes - it's canonical.

I keep thinking there should be a way to adapt Belter to this...

 

[McPerth]

Made me think of SPI's Star Trader (1982)

Ares Magazine #12. Star Trader is a game of interstellar economics set in the 24th Century. Each of up to 6 players is master of a fleet of star faring trade vessels, competing with opponents to increase his own profits at the expense of the other players. (This game can be used in conjunction with the RPG Universe, also by SPI)

http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3534/star-trader

You make me feeling young again with this reference...

 

[Highorbit_drifter]

x-boat routes are trade routes - it's canonical.

I keep thinking there should be a way to adapt Belter to this...

I don't think I've seen that. I know some x-boat routes exist along trade routes, even before Far Trader rules came out, but I don't recall the definite connection.

I agree that Belter is a great start towards rules for this.

 

[mike wightman]

Check out The Traveller Adventure for a full treatment of all the trade routes in the Aramis sector - as to x-boat routes being trade routes:

Major Trade Routes: Aramis has three distinct xboat routes, and the large transport companies follow those routes with their liners and transport ships.

Xboat links are represented by grey lines showing the established communications
routes. Generally, these routes are also the major freight and passenger
carrying lines.

Selected locations along major trade routes are established as express stations;

 

[robject]

x-boat routes are trade routes - it's canonical.

I keep thinking there should be a way to adapt Belter to this...

Do you mean Beltstrike?

 

[77topaz]

I did a quick search and didn't see them. Maybe I used the wrong terms? Anyway, they are easily available from different sources so they're out there.

They are located here. Note they are not the same as the x-boat maps.

 

[Highorbit_drifter]

Check out The Traveller Adventure for a full treatment of all the trade routes in the Aramis sector - as to x-boat routes being trade routes:

I'll have to wait on that. I lost my copy of the Traveller Adventure back in the Ex-Storm of "96.

If you take a look at the trade routes map vs the x-boat map you see; some overlap. But Aramis doesn't have a lot of x-boat traffic to begin with.

Interesting that the j1-mains don't have a lot of trade on them, at least in the coreward/trailing side. But I guess the routes are measuring huge amounts of trade, like that of megacorps. Free traders would have free run of that main - say from Celephia/Rhylanor down to Equus/Lanth and coreward up thru Wochiers on one branch and Dinom on the other. Lots of C ports and/or low population worlds.

 

[mike wightman]

Do you mean Beltstrike?

No, Beltstrike is one of the TTB/ST era boxed adventures - the other was Tarsus.

Belter- Mining The Asteroids 2076

 

[robject]

Sounds intriguing. I seem to remember a game called Robber Barons that had a similar concept, though using railroads.

I just re-read your post, and I think that this has some similarities to an 18XX-type railroad game, perhaps.

That, or a game where you squeeze out the competition. The twist, perhaps, is that if you get too cutthroat you bring down the Imperial Marines and they take you out.

On the Gripping Hand, it could be a cooperative game -- where the game itself attacks the players, who use their resources to fend off various problems which threaten to overwhelm the trade lanes. I like semi-cooperative games the best (and you can still have a cutthroat player in the midst).

Consider the things which could go wrong with the trade lanes...

1. Wandering pirates.
2. Interdiction. The Imperium (randomly?) declares worlds off-limits to all.
3. Tradewar. A rival corporation lays traps for your ships.
4. Sabotage. A megacorporation tries to muscle into the best ports.
5. Hostile Takeover. A rival-or-megacorp tries to buy out one or more of your port facilities.
6. A War. Attacking squadrons lay siege to worlds.
7. A Rebellion. The map divides into two factions.

 

[Blue Ghost]

Counter Strike for Traveller?

What, instead of the AWP, M4 and P90 we got FGMPs, ACRs and SMGs?